So no Raptors in the Playoffs. But that being said it still should be interesting. Doc Rivers dropped a bombshell today saying the K.G may not be in the playoffs at all. That makes the Boston repeat a much tougher deal. So the road to a Kobe vs Lebron NBA Finals seems a lot more likely. But before we get there you need to get through round 1. So away we go with Round 1 predictions.
The West
Lakers (1) vs Jazz (8)
The Jazz are in the playoffs and if they had a healthy season they likely are higher on the food chain. However they did not and they draw the Lakers in round 1. Andrew Bynum is back this year. Unlike last year he will be in the playoff mix for the Lakers. They also have Kobe and a solid crew around him with Pau Gasol and all the rest. I think the Jazz might get a game in Salt Lake but to win this series? No way, no how and no chance.
Dino Blogger Says Lakers in 5
Denver (2) vs New Orleans (7)
A point guard battle that should be off the hook. Billups turned the Nuggets from a fringe playoff team into the 2nd seed in the west? Wow. Sure head had help but he is the difference. Any doubt ask a Pistons fan and look where they sit. Chris Paul does not have to take a second seat to anyone. He along with Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard were the only 3 guys in the league to average a 20 and 10 double double. The team around Paul has under performed that is how they sit 7th after last season being the top seed. Denver much like the Hornets last year have a lot to prove to folks. This will be a huge step for the Nuggets. I think it might be to big of one. Maybe I am nuts but I like Hornets in this one. Billups has been unreal but Paul is better. The Hornets will hopefully rise to the level of Paul and provide an upset. Melo looked awful last night in a game that heading into could have meant a lot for the Nuggets. It turned out it did not. But still Carmelo looked really bad. He is said to have been playing with the flu. But I just think the Nuggets will be upset. Hornets will not have the pressure they did last year but will have the experience from it.
Dino Blogger says the Hornets in 7
Spurs (3) vs Dallas (6)
If you can figure out the Dallas Mavericks please let me know. I mean this team never seems to do what you expect of them to do. So that might suggest the Mavericks get an upset. The whole George Costanza theory to go against your natural reaction. Manu has been injured a lot. Tim Ducan and Tony Parker have been flying as a tandum most of the year. I think the Spurs should be able to take this series and not break a sweat doing it. I apologize to Mark Cuban, Dirk Nowitski and Jason Kidd. It is not like I am alone though. How many folks a month or 2 ago thought the Suns would run down the Mavs and leave the Mavs on the outside of the playoffs? I am thinking there was a lot of you. But the Mavs not only got in but sit in the 6th seed. Spurs have been there and done that. I just can't see the upset. Spurs have to much expierence and have delivered in the clutch. The Mavs may never be as good as the team that sat with a lead over the Heat in the NBA finals. Tim Ducan quietly goes about what he does year in and year out. I use to call him boring and slag him. However as I have grown older I have learned to respect Tim Ducan. I can not say I have that kind of respect for Dirk or ever will. Spurs also get the nod in the coaching department. Pop is one of the best in the game. Not to mention Matt Bonner needs another ring. I joke but I do hope the best for the Red Rocket.
Dino Bloggers says Spurs in 5
(4) Portland vs (5) Houston
I watched the Blazers go off against the Nuggets to earn the right to host this series and have home court advantage. This was a huge thing for the young Blazers who are the new kids on the block in the playoffs. Houston has no curse of T-Mac to hold them back. Yao is solid and you have crazy Ron Artest looking to get paid next season. This should be the best series of the first round. I think it is going to be a great battle as you have 2 teams with very different reasons you could pull for them or against them. Brandon Roy will have a chance to shine on the big stage. I think he is more than ready and has a ton of back up. As much as it would delight me to see the Rockets advance without T-Mac. I just think the Blazers are young and talented and far to deep to be stopped by the Rockets. They may not be able to win a road game in the series. If they do watch out whoever they play in next round. I think you know where this is going. Rose Garden and game 7.
Dino Blogger says Blazers in 7
The East
Cavs (1) vs Pistons (8)
This in the past would be a Conference Finals match up. But not this year as the Pistons made a huge mistake in the short term trading for A.I. Proud to say I saw this one coming. A.I with a rookie head coach is was doomed. The Pistons did just enough to remain in the playoffs and that is about all. There is no MSU run in the Pistons. This will get the Cavs attention right out of the gate. In the past Cavs have had some fortunate first round pairings. Some would say this one as well. However the Cavs will not take the Pistons lightly. The Cavs and more importantly Lebron James is on a mission. The news that K.G may be gone only adds feul to the fire for the Cavs. The team around Lebron has stepped up and followed his lead. I just see no reason to think the Cavs do not run through the Pistons like a hot knife through butter. I heard Rasheed Wallace talking tough but I am not buying it. Wallace can think about his future as a free agent as he walks around with his title belt from years gone by. What will Lebron get if he wins a title? PAID!!! James is going to be the M.V.P and I am not just talking of the season. He is going to be the MVP of the playoffs too. Pistons Joe Dumars can start spending that cash from A.I's contract. I hope it was worth it Joe.
Dino Blogger says Cavs in 4
Boston (2) vs Chicago (7)
The Bulls could have avoided this fate. Did they know something or was it dumb luck? Not to take away from the Raptors big win to close the year but the Bulls looked disinterested in winning that game last night. That being said is a Big 2 with a Rondo on the side enough to take care of the Bulls? I think so. Rondo is going to be a huge factor in this series most of all. Derrick Rose against Rondo is a great match-up. D. Rose may get the ROY but Rondo will get the better of him in this series. Glen Davis will need to play as big as his BIG BABY nickname for the Celtics. I think the Celtics chances has gone down the tubes in the long term. However in the short term vs the Bulls they can get it done. Pierce and Allen should be good enough with the help of a big effort from Rondo to get the C's out of round 1. Doc Rivers is a great coach as well. He has great players but Doc has always been able to get the most out of any team he coached. Vinny Del Negro is out of his league much like his Bulls. Sorry to Chuck Swirsky but your new team will go the same way as your old team.
Dino Bloggers says the Celtics in 5
(3) Orlando vs (6) Philadelphia
O.K this is becoming a trend in the NBA. Raptor fans you all wanted the Magic last year. How did that work out for us? Now a year later the Sixers are the team thinking that they lucked out avoiding the Celtics. But did they really? I am telling you the Magic are very good. In fact I would go as far as to say the Magic are the one team that might spoil the dream Kobe and Lebron NBA Final. In fact that is what I said at the start of the year. Magic and Lakers in the finals. The fact the Magic lost Jameer Nelson was blow to them. However Ex-Raptor Rafer Alston has been a good emergency fill in. The Sixers have limped along to the playoffs. They started the season poorly and lost Elton Brand and got better. However they lost Thaddeus Young and fell apart. He could be back for this series. But I am not thinking that is enough for the Sixers. Howard against Sam Dalembert is a blowout for the Magic. Even if they figure out how to stop Howard. Which I am not convinced they can do. They still need to figure out how to stop the 3 balls from raining all over them. The fact the Sixers are a less than impressive 3 point shooting squad is not good. Magic are tired of no one respecting them and the Sixers will pay for it.
Dino Blogger says Magic in 4
(4) Atlanta vs (5) Miami
Ok this is a fun one. Wade is having a season for the Heat. Atlanta has built on what many(Including me) thought was a fluke taking the Celtics last season to 7. The Heat were busy getting some lotto help that would turn into Michael Beasley. He has had a good season along with Mario Chalmers. J.O and J Moon came in to replace the Matrix and that other guy. Carlton Banks? Oh no Marcus. Anyway...Hawks have weapons as well. Joe Johnson, Bibby, Josh Smith and others. However if there is a series where one guy can will a team to win this is it. That man is D-Wade. He will not be getting an MVP Trophy but that will only fuel the fire and he takes the Heat past a Hawks team that has been stuck in the middle between the elite and the lesser lights. It was not that long ago the Hawks were those lesser lights. In fact I am not convinced they are that much better other than the fact they have a new confidence. They did step it up last year but I think Wade and his young Heat will step it up. Going to be a fun and interesting ride though. The sad thing is will Atlanta have a big crowd for it? They deserve it. But...
Dino Blogger says Heat in 6
So that is round 1 we will see how I do. If you have your own playoff picks or thoughts feel free to drop a comment and get it on the record.
4/16/09
It Ends as it Started
So The Raptors season ended as it began with 3 victories. So that means of the rest of the games the Raptors won a grand total of 27 out of 76. That is not good. There is no math that can make this season look good. But speaking of numbers Chris Bosh thanks to a monster night finished the season as one of only 3 players to average a double double this season of 20 and 10. Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are the other 2 players. So remind me again why everyone is trying to run this guy out of town? He may want to leave on his own and if that is the case there is nothing you can do about that. However if Chris wants to stay, I want to have him. There maybe be cap issues to deal with and figure out but so be it. Bosh is a very good player and I can not imagine nor want to imagine where this team would have been without him this season. It would have been far worse. I know that is hard to imagine but trust me it is true.
I have come to the conclusion that if the Raptors want to keep the core of this team together in Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon they will have to go into the Tax Threshold. In the NBA the Cap numbers are likely to go down. If you did not hear already there are reports out there that suggest 17 of the NBA clubs lost money this year. If the people at MLSE are smart and truly want to win they need to take advantage of the fact that they are not one of those 17. Despite a horrible season and a terrible T.V mess that keep the Raps off the air in the local market for a lot of folks. Still the Raptors worth 10th in paid attendance. When you look around during the Playoffs I am guessing you will not see every building sold out. If the Raptors were in the ACC is full to capacity without question.
So it would cost MLSE a lot of money to go into the tax. I know this. But have you ever heard the expression spend money to make money? This is the case for MLSE. Spend the Tax and take the hit and you will be rewarded with playoff revenue. But not just that. You will sell more t-shirts, hats and all that other good stuff they sell. It has always been said for this team to truly become Canada's team it will take an extended playoff run. Well I have another way that I have suggested long time ago and it is being talked about more and more. Go get Steve Nash. Yes he is older and people may doubt him. However so did Mark Cuban and Bryan Colangelo believed in Steve. Colangelo was rewarded with 2 M.V.P seasons and extended playoff runs for the Suns. Can Nash be that good again? Perhaps not. However he is the face of basketball in this country and is the perfect tutor for a young Roko Ukic or another point guard of the future the Raptors could draft. There are some good ones out there. Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn and Pat Mills are 3 names that come to mind. Jose Calderon may be loved in Toronto but in the rest of the country to the casual fan do a poll and ask them who they would watch more Nash or Calderon. If Nash did not win with a huge majority I would be stunned. Is it anymore risky to bring in Nash than it was to bring in Jermaine O'Neal? Not to mention the economic surge it would create in sales of merchandise across this country. That alone would cover the cost of any tax the Raptors would suffer. Not to mention you improve your chances of Bosh and others wanting to be in Toronto. Nash makes players better it is that simple. There are a lot of guys that make a nice salary in this league thanks to Steve Nash. One of them is Shawn Marion. Maybe even he hangs around to be reunited with Steve. However no matter how you cut it the Raptors need to go into the Tax if they truly are looking to win. If they do not it is a sign to me that they are not serious about winning.
Bryan Colangelo is so it will not be his fault. It will be the MLSE board. They have the money and down economy or not they are doing just fine. So go spend the cash and fix the Raptors. If they do not this is going to get much worse before it gets better. A Boshless Raptors will not be a better Raptors. Have we not learned that in the post Vince era. Some may hate him but the fact remains the Raptors have never been able to replace him and are not the same team without him. Bosh is not Vince though in terms of effort and wanting to win. So I am comfortable paying Bosh money and knowing I will get full value from it. Bosh is a special player and is he a guy who can lead you on his own to greatness all on his own? No he can't. However with a solid team around him he can be effective. The Raptors need to build that team. When it comes to that the Raptors have not exactly done a great job at that.
I am totally convinced of two facts. The Raptors need to keep Bosh to have any hope of short term success and they need to go into the Tax to bring in the help Bosh will need to remain and be a winner. Here is another thing that worries me in a post Bosh era- Andrea Bargnani. He finally has broken through and is showing signs that he can be a good to great player. However if Bosh leaves and all the cameras turn towards Andrea what will happen? I am not sure but I think it would not be a good thing for his development. Andrea is not ready to be a face of a franchise or the best player on a team. In a post Bosh era he likely would become both. I see that as a concern and could lead to his new found confidence going in the toilet. That is something that no one wants to see. Bosh has grown nicely into the role as the face of the franchise and handles himself with the media like a true pro. Even with the off court issues Bosh was the same polished young man he has become in front of a camera. In the case of Bargnani he is adjusting to a new way of life and is far less comfortable in front of the cameras. People say he has got a lot better this year. However with no Bosh the media coverage of Andrea goes to a brand new level. It all screams to me that it will not be a good situation. If there is anything this season has taught me it is to stick to my gut. I had a horrible feeling about the Jermaine O'Neal trade when it was first made. I allowed myself to be convinced it was a good thing. Turns out it was the horrible thing I thought to start with. So Never Again!!! If I am totally 100% wrong on something so be it. That being said I think that I am establishing a pretty good track record on things. I have gained some confidence in myself and what I believe. You may not always agree and that is cool. But I will stick to my guns. Basically my statement on this off season is this. No Bosh....No Way. I am not going to be fooled a second time. If Chris wants to leave that is fine. But if this is a Raptor choice for him to go it will be a huge mistake.
Later in the day I will post my Playoff Picks. If you have not heard K.G may be a no go for the entire playoffs. That is big news for Cavs and Magic. The road in the East just became a little bit more clear. But more on that later today.
I have come to the conclusion that if the Raptors want to keep the core of this team together in Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon they will have to go into the Tax Threshold. In the NBA the Cap numbers are likely to go down. If you did not hear already there are reports out there that suggest 17 of the NBA clubs lost money this year. If the people at MLSE are smart and truly want to win they need to take advantage of the fact that they are not one of those 17. Despite a horrible season and a terrible T.V mess that keep the Raps off the air in the local market for a lot of folks. Still the Raptors worth 10th in paid attendance. When you look around during the Playoffs I am guessing you will not see every building sold out. If the Raptors were in the ACC is full to capacity without question.
So it would cost MLSE a lot of money to go into the tax. I know this. But have you ever heard the expression spend money to make money? This is the case for MLSE. Spend the Tax and take the hit and you will be rewarded with playoff revenue. But not just that. You will sell more t-shirts, hats and all that other good stuff they sell. It has always been said for this team to truly become Canada's team it will take an extended playoff run. Well I have another way that I have suggested long time ago and it is being talked about more and more. Go get Steve Nash. Yes he is older and people may doubt him. However so did Mark Cuban and Bryan Colangelo believed in Steve. Colangelo was rewarded with 2 M.V.P seasons and extended playoff runs for the Suns. Can Nash be that good again? Perhaps not. However he is the face of basketball in this country and is the perfect tutor for a young Roko Ukic or another point guard of the future the Raptors could draft. There are some good ones out there. Ty Lawson, Jonny Flynn and Pat Mills are 3 names that come to mind. Jose Calderon may be loved in Toronto but in the rest of the country to the casual fan do a poll and ask them who they would watch more Nash or Calderon. If Nash did not win with a huge majority I would be stunned. Is it anymore risky to bring in Nash than it was to bring in Jermaine O'Neal? Not to mention the economic surge it would create in sales of merchandise across this country. That alone would cover the cost of any tax the Raptors would suffer. Not to mention you improve your chances of Bosh and others wanting to be in Toronto. Nash makes players better it is that simple. There are a lot of guys that make a nice salary in this league thanks to Steve Nash. One of them is Shawn Marion. Maybe even he hangs around to be reunited with Steve. However no matter how you cut it the Raptors need to go into the Tax if they truly are looking to win. If they do not it is a sign to me that they are not serious about winning.
Bryan Colangelo is so it will not be his fault. It will be the MLSE board. They have the money and down economy or not they are doing just fine. So go spend the cash and fix the Raptors. If they do not this is going to get much worse before it gets better. A Boshless Raptors will not be a better Raptors. Have we not learned that in the post Vince era. Some may hate him but the fact remains the Raptors have never been able to replace him and are not the same team without him. Bosh is not Vince though in terms of effort and wanting to win. So I am comfortable paying Bosh money and knowing I will get full value from it. Bosh is a special player and is he a guy who can lead you on his own to greatness all on his own? No he can't. However with a solid team around him he can be effective. The Raptors need to build that team. When it comes to that the Raptors have not exactly done a great job at that.
I am totally convinced of two facts. The Raptors need to keep Bosh to have any hope of short term success and they need to go into the Tax to bring in the help Bosh will need to remain and be a winner. Here is another thing that worries me in a post Bosh era- Andrea Bargnani. He finally has broken through and is showing signs that he can be a good to great player. However if Bosh leaves and all the cameras turn towards Andrea what will happen? I am not sure but I think it would not be a good thing for his development. Andrea is not ready to be a face of a franchise or the best player on a team. In a post Bosh era he likely would become both. I see that as a concern and could lead to his new found confidence going in the toilet. That is something that no one wants to see. Bosh has grown nicely into the role as the face of the franchise and handles himself with the media like a true pro. Even with the off court issues Bosh was the same polished young man he has become in front of a camera. In the case of Bargnani he is adjusting to a new way of life and is far less comfortable in front of the cameras. People say he has got a lot better this year. However with no Bosh the media coverage of Andrea goes to a brand new level. It all screams to me that it will not be a good situation. If there is anything this season has taught me it is to stick to my gut. I had a horrible feeling about the Jermaine O'Neal trade when it was first made. I allowed myself to be convinced it was a good thing. Turns out it was the horrible thing I thought to start with. So Never Again!!! If I am totally 100% wrong on something so be it. That being said I think that I am establishing a pretty good track record on things. I have gained some confidence in myself and what I believe. You may not always agree and that is cool. But I will stick to my guns. Basically my statement on this off season is this. No Bosh....No Way. I am not going to be fooled a second time. If Chris wants to leave that is fine. But if this is a Raptor choice for him to go it will be a huge mistake.
Later in the day I will post my Playoff Picks. If you have not heard K.G may be a no go for the entire playoffs. That is big news for Cavs and Magic. The road in the East just became a little bit more clear. But more on that later today.
4/15/09
Last Stop Chicago
I have a kind of strange feeling today. To be honest since about December or January I knew this day was coming. Still the fact that the Raptors season is coming to an end tonight is a bit of a shock. It is not like it was not something that was obvious. When you don't make the playoffs the season ends when the schedule ends. So there is 48 minutes left in a Raptors Season that may have been the most forgettable and disappointing of all time. It would almost be fitting if this game was on TSN 2. However it is on The Score. As shocking as the Raptors season has been the fact that the Bulls are heading to the playoffs is perhaps just as much a shock to me. Derrick Rose has been as good as advertised and the Bulls after a season last year much like the Raptors season this year have turned it around. The Bulls were the team with all the expectations a couple seasons ago. Rumours of a Kobe Bryant trade and a bunch of players under performing players would lead to a free fall of the Bulls that no one saw coming. They were thought to be a contender in the East and had a bright future. This sounding familiar to anyone?
The Bulls season of misfortune would be rewarded with a draft lottery win. It was not like the Bulls were a favourite in that by any means. People tend to question the integrity of the NBA Draft Lottery. The ping pong balls tend to dance the way the NBA would like them to go. Patrick Ewing to the Knicks, Lebron James to the Cavs and Rose a kid from Chicago goes home last season. It may be a legit thing but the way the balls bounce make you wonder. This year with Blake Griffin as the top prize it would make sense for Oklahoma City to win the lotto if you believe the fix is in. The Thunder would not have the best odds to win but there odds would be much higher than The Bulls last year. The Raptors in case you were wondering Raptors sit 9th in the lottery standings. The wins down the stretch may have made the players feel good about themselves but it did little good for the Raptors Lottery spot. The Raptors odds would be less than 3%.
I would not expect Bryan Colangelo to pull a Bryan Burke and go out of his way to trade up and get the first pick. That being said if the Wizards win the lotto there has been some talk they may trade the first pick if they got it. Blake Griffin may be all world in college but on the NBA level he is not going to be able to do a lot of things he did in college. He in the assumed to be number 1 pick. Colangelo could perhaps move up in the draft I am just not thinking it would be to the top position. I think all options are on the table for the Raptors. They also have the right to in a sense buy a pick up to a worth a 3 million dollars, I think that was the number. It was part of one of the deals Colangelo made this year. So he could choose to draft not just one player but a couple. This is a draft that most consider weak and has lots of question marks. That for some may be bad news. However consider it as an opportunity. I say this because there are so many questions that some players may fall and you could easily find a diamond in the rough. The Raptors first key to turning this thing around will be to get the draft right. No mistakes can be made. Depending on the future of Bosh may influence the draft as well. Not just on the position the team might draft but on the type of player they draft as well. If Bosh stays the Raptors likely will be looking for the most NBA ready. Colangelo can not afford to draft a player like Bargnani that will take time to develop you would figure. But lots of time to talk about that as we move a long but that is a taste of the draft.
Speaking of which it hard to imagine this could be the last time we will see Bosh in a Raptors Jersey tonight. What is clear is that for some it will definitely be the end for some. At the top of that list for me would be Joey Graham. Graham has had an up and down time in Toronto and the downs have out numbered the ups and I see it as unlikely that he returns. Joey did have a decent year and honestly gave himself a shot at getting a contract after this season. The way he was going he may have been on the outside of the league looking in. So in that sense I am happy for Joey. It is not like I hate the guy. He is a good person it is just as a basketball player he frustrates me and I just have seen enough to say so long. That would mark the last piece of the Vince Carter trade to be gone from the Raptor roster. Graham was selected with a pick from that awful Carter trade made by Rob Babcock. You can guarantee that if Colangelo moves Bosh the deal he makes will be much better than that. Also you have Parker, Marion and Pops Mensah-Bonsu among a list of others that could stay or go.
So despite all of it. I will watch tonight and be a bit sad in the knowledge that this will be the last Raptor game I can watch till late October. Well there is summer league and pre-season. However the next one that means something will happen sometime around Halloween. Tonight's game may not mean a whole lot but if you have enjoyed any of these players in their time with the Raptors you owe it to yourself to watch. I think beyond Andrea Bargnani there is no locks to be on this roster next season. That is how bad this season went. Calderon and Bosh are not certain to be back. Bosh based on his contract is the more likely of those two players to move. However even Claderon could be in play for the right deal I think.
The long off-season begins tomorrow. But remember the Dino Nation Blog is a 12 month venture and it keeps going talking Raps, NBA and basketball in general. So if you need you B-Ball fix the Dino Nation Blog has you covered all year around.
The Bulls season of misfortune would be rewarded with a draft lottery win. It was not like the Bulls were a favourite in that by any means. People tend to question the integrity of the NBA Draft Lottery. The ping pong balls tend to dance the way the NBA would like them to go. Patrick Ewing to the Knicks, Lebron James to the Cavs and Rose a kid from Chicago goes home last season. It may be a legit thing but the way the balls bounce make you wonder. This year with Blake Griffin as the top prize it would make sense for Oklahoma City to win the lotto if you believe the fix is in. The Thunder would not have the best odds to win but there odds would be much higher than The Bulls last year. The Raptors in case you were wondering Raptors sit 9th in the lottery standings. The wins down the stretch may have made the players feel good about themselves but it did little good for the Raptors Lottery spot. The Raptors odds would be less than 3%.
I would not expect Bryan Colangelo to pull a Bryan Burke and go out of his way to trade up and get the first pick. That being said if the Wizards win the lotto there has been some talk they may trade the first pick if they got it. Blake Griffin may be all world in college but on the NBA level he is not going to be able to do a lot of things he did in college. He in the assumed to be number 1 pick. Colangelo could perhaps move up in the draft I am just not thinking it would be to the top position. I think all options are on the table for the Raptors. They also have the right to in a sense buy a pick up to a worth a 3 million dollars, I think that was the number. It was part of one of the deals Colangelo made this year. So he could choose to draft not just one player but a couple. This is a draft that most consider weak and has lots of question marks. That for some may be bad news. However consider it as an opportunity. I say this because there are so many questions that some players may fall and you could easily find a diamond in the rough. The Raptors first key to turning this thing around will be to get the draft right. No mistakes can be made. Depending on the future of Bosh may influence the draft as well. Not just on the position the team might draft but on the type of player they draft as well. If Bosh stays the Raptors likely will be looking for the most NBA ready. Colangelo can not afford to draft a player like Bargnani that will take time to develop you would figure. But lots of time to talk about that as we move a long but that is a taste of the draft.
Speaking of which it hard to imagine this could be the last time we will see Bosh in a Raptors Jersey tonight. What is clear is that for some it will definitely be the end for some. At the top of that list for me would be Joey Graham. Graham has had an up and down time in Toronto and the downs have out numbered the ups and I see it as unlikely that he returns. Joey did have a decent year and honestly gave himself a shot at getting a contract after this season. The way he was going he may have been on the outside of the league looking in. So in that sense I am happy for Joey. It is not like I hate the guy. He is a good person it is just as a basketball player he frustrates me and I just have seen enough to say so long. That would mark the last piece of the Vince Carter trade to be gone from the Raptor roster. Graham was selected with a pick from that awful Carter trade made by Rob Babcock. You can guarantee that if Colangelo moves Bosh the deal he makes will be much better than that. Also you have Parker, Marion and Pops Mensah-Bonsu among a list of others that could stay or go.
So despite all of it. I will watch tonight and be a bit sad in the knowledge that this will be the last Raptor game I can watch till late October. Well there is summer league and pre-season. However the next one that means something will happen sometime around Halloween. Tonight's game may not mean a whole lot but if you have enjoyed any of these players in their time with the Raptors you owe it to yourself to watch. I think beyond Andrea Bargnani there is no locks to be on this roster next season. That is how bad this season went. Calderon and Bosh are not certain to be back. Bosh based on his contract is the more likely of those two players to move. However even Claderon could be in play for the right deal I think.
The long off-season begins tomorrow. But remember the Dino Nation Blog is a 12 month venture and it keeps going talking Raps, NBA and basketball in general. So if you need you B-Ball fix the Dino Nation Blog has you covered all year around.
4/14/09
Summer League in Springtime In Washington
I watched last night's game and needless to say President Obama was not at this game. He was hosting kids at the White House for an Easter egg hunt. Last night looked a lot like a summer league game. Despite a great finish in which Jay Triano gave his supporter some fuel to support him. He did a solid coaching job and was able to draw up to great plays that lead to the scores that gave the Raps a win in Washington. Chris Bosh would hit the game winner on a 3 pointer where he was left wide open. Before the fantastic finish to this one there was a lot of lack luster basketball as the 2 teams seemed to take turns caring about wanting to play. The Raps and Wizards even when it means nothing still find ways to make dramatic finishes happen. Butler made his run off shot at ACC just days ago. Mo P with his 3 ball that Chuck Swirsky and I still can't believe went in. They just always seem to find a way to come up with some great finishes to games. Last night was another of those it was just the ride to get there was less than entertaining or important.
Speaking of Chuck Swirsky his Bulls are heading to the playoffs if you can believe that. Derrick Rose was the prize for the Bulls hitting the lotto. Even I am willing to admit it would be a crime if Rose was not the rookie of the year. For a longtime O.J Mayo was my pick for the award but when you can get your team to the playoffs as a rookie you have done something pretty special. That is who the Raptors will close out the season against on Wednesday. It all seems so strange. I think back to when Chuck announced he was leaving and if anyone had said to me the Bulls would make the playoffs this year and the Raptors would not, I think that it would have brought me to laughter. However that is the reality of things. It also is reason to be hopefully I guess. Even though things seem very bleak right now, it can turn around fast in basketball. Part of why that is can be traced to the fact it is the team sport with the smallest roster size. It also is the sport that can have the best chance of 1 or 2 guys making a huge difference.
The Playoffs should be exciting despite the fact the Raptors will not be in the mix. The road to a Kobe vs Lebron final. Can anyone stop that from happening? It seems hard to imagine at this point. We will also find out the Raptors draft number as well. Still as I am writing this the realization that the Raptors will not play a basketball game that means anything again till late October is on the front of my mind. Who will be playing on that team will be determined over the summer months. The coach seems like it is going to be Jay Triano and I am happy for Jay and maybe he can get it done. I have a little bit more confidence based on last night. Maybe it didn't mean much but he did make 2 great play calls to give the Raps a win. I still would feel more comfortable with a outside and someone that has more head coaching experience. However it seems clear Bryan Colangelo has a confidence in Jay Triano and thinks he is the guy for the job. Chris Bosh seems to believe as well. That is a good thing if Bosh is back. The fact I am saying if Bosh is back kind of turns my stomach as well.
Last season I had to watch T.J Ford go. I really hope this summer will not be the same for Chris Bosh. It would be a clear sign to me that the short term outlook for this team is bleak. Will see how it all pans out. I just want to be excited about something or someone and other than a bit of love for Pops Mensah-Bonsu I really have not felt that way in a longtime. The one thing I do know is that this team needs a major make over and I would not be shocked if we saw Bryan Colangelo do all he can to turn over a big portion of this roster.
Speaking of Chuck Swirsky his Bulls are heading to the playoffs if you can believe that. Derrick Rose was the prize for the Bulls hitting the lotto. Even I am willing to admit it would be a crime if Rose was not the rookie of the year. For a longtime O.J Mayo was my pick for the award but when you can get your team to the playoffs as a rookie you have done something pretty special. That is who the Raptors will close out the season against on Wednesday. It all seems so strange. I think back to when Chuck announced he was leaving and if anyone had said to me the Bulls would make the playoffs this year and the Raptors would not, I think that it would have brought me to laughter. However that is the reality of things. It also is reason to be hopefully I guess. Even though things seem very bleak right now, it can turn around fast in basketball. Part of why that is can be traced to the fact it is the team sport with the smallest roster size. It also is the sport that can have the best chance of 1 or 2 guys making a huge difference.
The Playoffs should be exciting despite the fact the Raptors will not be in the mix. The road to a Kobe vs Lebron final. Can anyone stop that from happening? It seems hard to imagine at this point. We will also find out the Raptors draft number as well. Still as I am writing this the realization that the Raptors will not play a basketball game that means anything again till late October is on the front of my mind. Who will be playing on that team will be determined over the summer months. The coach seems like it is going to be Jay Triano and I am happy for Jay and maybe he can get it done. I have a little bit more confidence based on last night. Maybe it didn't mean much but he did make 2 great play calls to give the Raps a win. I still would feel more comfortable with a outside and someone that has more head coaching experience. However it seems clear Bryan Colangelo has a confidence in Jay Triano and thinks he is the guy for the job. Chris Bosh seems to believe as well. That is a good thing if Bosh is back. The fact I am saying if Bosh is back kind of turns my stomach as well.
Last season I had to watch T.J Ford go. I really hope this summer will not be the same for Chris Bosh. It would be a clear sign to me that the short term outlook for this team is bleak. Will see how it all pans out. I just want to be excited about something or someone and other than a bit of love for Pops Mensah-Bonsu I really have not felt that way in a longtime. The one thing I do know is that this team needs a major make over and I would not be shocked if we saw Bryan Colangelo do all he can to turn over a big portion of this roster.
4/13/09
Raps Close The ACC For The Season
The Raptors are just to hard to figure out at this point. The lose to the Wizards a team that is worse than them. They will play them again tonight by the way. They play the Sixers on Easter Sunday and the Sixers still have something to play for as they could improve there playoff position. However the Raptors come out and blow the doors off the Sixers down the stretch. It makes little sense. Quincy Douby was on fire. I mentioned he might actually have a shot of sticking with this team. He did nothing but improve his chances of that yesterday. Be in here or somewhere else it seems the NBA with have a Douby next year. Charles Oakley will tell you that 75% of the league has had several for years. So the Raptors close out there home sked with an under .500 record on the ACC floor of 18-23. Maybe the first thing they need to do is stop changing the floor ever season. The never change the floor for the Celtics every year. The only thing they do is paint those logos for the Playoffs, Eastern Conference Finals and Finals. When the Raptors won the lone division title they had in their history they won 30 games on the ACC floor I believe. This team did not play well on their home floor. The fans let them know about it as well at times. Let's make a deal with the Raptors. We will not boo at games if you agree to win more games at home. Sound good. Oh yeah and you need to fix that T.V mess as well. Raps are actually on the main TSN network so EVERYONE can see the classic tilt with the Wizards and Raps.
The Raptors are a half game ahead of the New York Knicks in the draft lottery standings. If they lose out they might be able to pass the Knicks. That being said can anyone figure out what they will do? I mean these games have resembled summer league games that is in part why I have not been doing recaps. I may do the last game of the season with the Bulls if I am not working. But there really is no point to it. The Raptors story for this season has been written a long time ago. An off-season with lots of questions is about to get going. Perhaps the most important one will be what will be the NBA Cap number? There is a general expectation that the number will go down. There was a lot of debate this season on if the folks at MLSE would allow Bryan Colangelo would be allowed to go over the Tax threshold number. They said that it was an option if Bryan wanted to do it. However that was never tested. Heading into this season with a lower cap it may be put to the test. Colangelo no doubt wants to make a lot of changes. So will he be given the green light to go over the tax? I think that if Chris Bosh comes back the answer to that will be yes. After all if Bosh is back Colangelo will be sending a signal that he plans on keeping him and resigning him. To do that this Raptor team needs to improve a lot and fast. We also have the Lottery and this may seem odd for folks but I am cheering for the Raptors to be the runner-up in the Blake Griffin lotto. I think the Raps would be wise and happy to select Haseem Thabeet. No he is not a shooting guard or small forward. At 7 foot 3 there is nothing small about Haseem Thabeet. He is a great defender and is exactly what the Raptors could use. If Colangelo is going to spend cash he can bring in a shooting guard of small forward via a signing or trade. Thabeet will be the best player in this draft class. I may sound crazy now but you will see. I also said that Durant would be the better of him and Oden. So far so good on that one.
I am excited that I will be talking with Jack Armstrong late this week. Likely have that together for you next weekend. I am always interested in what Jack has to say on the Raps. I think he is the most honest and direct about this team and his opinions on it. He does not candy coat what he thinks about things. If the Raps are bad he will tell you that. It is why I love talking with Jack. He has become a pretty busy guy with doing his own Radio show on Monday through Friday as well as all his Raptor responsibilities. He even covers college games in the states as well. Thanks to my job with the Score, I am required to have an extended sports package. So I got to see Jack do a game between Louisville and Cincy earlier this year. So I am sure Jack will have some thoughts on the draft as well.
That is about it for an Easter Monday. If you celebrated Easter this past weekend I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you. Also just a reminder that the Dino Nation Blog goes the whole year around. Just because Wednesday is the end of the season for the Raptors does not mean I go on holidays. I will keep at it and still look to bring in guests to talk Raptors and NBA. So keep that in mind over the spring and summer months. In fact some of the best stuff I have done in the blog has happened in the summer as people have more time and sometime you can pull of some good stuff. Last season we did a great feature on Roy Hibbert as well as Nathan Jawai. So always know someone is here working hard. That someone is me.
So that is a Rap as far as games at the ACC see you in late October or early November. If you are looking for tickets next year remember Raptorman.ca. I got to meet Steve(Raptorman) this year and he is a great guy and a true fan of the Raptors. He will look after you I have no doubt. So remember him next season when you are searching for your Raps Tickets.
The Raptors are a half game ahead of the New York Knicks in the draft lottery standings. If they lose out they might be able to pass the Knicks. That being said can anyone figure out what they will do? I mean these games have resembled summer league games that is in part why I have not been doing recaps. I may do the last game of the season with the Bulls if I am not working. But there really is no point to it. The Raptors story for this season has been written a long time ago. An off-season with lots of questions is about to get going. Perhaps the most important one will be what will be the NBA Cap number? There is a general expectation that the number will go down. There was a lot of debate this season on if the folks at MLSE would allow Bryan Colangelo would be allowed to go over the Tax threshold number. They said that it was an option if Bryan wanted to do it. However that was never tested. Heading into this season with a lower cap it may be put to the test. Colangelo no doubt wants to make a lot of changes. So will he be given the green light to go over the tax? I think that if Chris Bosh comes back the answer to that will be yes. After all if Bosh is back Colangelo will be sending a signal that he plans on keeping him and resigning him. To do that this Raptor team needs to improve a lot and fast. We also have the Lottery and this may seem odd for folks but I am cheering for the Raptors to be the runner-up in the Blake Griffin lotto. I think the Raps would be wise and happy to select Haseem Thabeet. No he is not a shooting guard or small forward. At 7 foot 3 there is nothing small about Haseem Thabeet. He is a great defender and is exactly what the Raptors could use. If Colangelo is going to spend cash he can bring in a shooting guard of small forward via a signing or trade. Thabeet will be the best player in this draft class. I may sound crazy now but you will see. I also said that Durant would be the better of him and Oden. So far so good on that one.
I am excited that I will be talking with Jack Armstrong late this week. Likely have that together for you next weekend. I am always interested in what Jack has to say on the Raps. I think he is the most honest and direct about this team and his opinions on it. He does not candy coat what he thinks about things. If the Raps are bad he will tell you that. It is why I love talking with Jack. He has become a pretty busy guy with doing his own Radio show on Monday through Friday as well as all his Raptor responsibilities. He even covers college games in the states as well. Thanks to my job with the Score, I am required to have an extended sports package. So I got to see Jack do a game between Louisville and Cincy earlier this year. So I am sure Jack will have some thoughts on the draft as well.
That is about it for an Easter Monday. If you celebrated Easter this past weekend I hope the Easter Bunny was good to you. Also just a reminder that the Dino Nation Blog goes the whole year around. Just because Wednesday is the end of the season for the Raptors does not mean I go on holidays. I will keep at it and still look to bring in guests to talk Raptors and NBA. So keep that in mind over the spring and summer months. In fact some of the best stuff I have done in the blog has happened in the summer as people have more time and sometime you can pull of some good stuff. Last season we did a great feature on Roy Hibbert as well as Nathan Jawai. So always know someone is here working hard. That someone is me.
So that is a Rap as far as games at the ACC see you in late October or early November. If you are looking for tickets next year remember Raptorman.ca. I got to meet Steve(Raptorman) this year and he is a great guy and a true fan of the Raptors. He will look after you I have no doubt. So remember him next season when you are searching for your Raps Tickets.
4/11/09
The Butler Did It, Thank You Caron
I admit I did not get a chance to see the game last night. I saw the part that mattered which was the end. I can not thank Caron Butler enough. Seriously I may take cheap shots at Gilbert Arenas whenever I get a chance. Think it is because I am bitter that he is the world's highest paid blogger at 111 million. He plays the odd NBA game as well I am told. But regardless of that Caron Butler deserved to be cheered off the court as he ran off the court with his finger in the air. It was not even the middle one. I guess he was referring to keeping hope alive for the Wiz to get that number one pick. However his undressing of Shawn Marion actually helped the Raptors from screwing their chances any further. The Raps have went into a tail spin since the 6 game win streak out of no where. But the Raptors OUR who we THOUGHT THEY WERE and there is NO LETTING THEM OFF THE HOOK. Change has to happen and this is a way to enforce that. This team is flawed and needs to fix a number of issues. I still have faith that Bryan Colangelo is the man to do that as well. He will turn this around and has a history of being able to. This man was able to restore this team from the mess Rob Babcock left it in. If he can do that, he can do this as well.
The question will be if he wants Chris Bosh a part of that mix to fix it. He should but the question of how much is the largest one for Colangelo. I think if Bosh wants out the answers are far easier. However I have yet to see a clear sign that he does. In fact from what he has said and done he gives very little indication that he wants to go. He wants this team to be better and who doesn't after this season. It will be interesting indeed.
I guess my biggest fear is if Bosh goes I see an Andrea Bargnani reverting back to the Andrea that lacked confidence and was so inconsistent. I am not so sure how mentally tough Bargnani is. Could he handle being the best player on the Raptors? To be the guy that everyone looks at? I don't think he can now and I am not sure if he ever could. That is not a knock on Andrea. After all he was not drafted to be a Batman we already had one. Jose Calderon for all his energy and team play is not exactly a leader as well. You may get all upset about that but it is how I see it. On Spain the leader of that team is Pau Gasol not Jose. Here Bosh is the guy and not Jose. Calderon may be a lot of things but leader is not one of them. Do you think Obama goes around and hands out Gatorade in the breaks in meetings in the Oval Office? I am thinking that does not happen. It is also hard to be a leader when you are one of the worst defenders on a team. Improving he may be but at his best Jose Calderon is an average defender.
You know who was a leader despite not being the main guy. Alvin Williams was that guy. He was the guy that hit the biggest shot in the history of this franchise. Vince Carter he was short on a jumper in Philly. Williams made the dagger shot that clinched the only playoff series win in franchise history. Williams was as tough as you get and that maybe why his career did not go as long as it could have. He played through pain and never used it as an excuse. Did you hear that Jose Calderon supporters? No Excuses just went out and balled with all he had. No one asked if Alvin was healthy or at a 100%. He never was and it never mattered. The fact the ACC crowd gave him cheers was great to see. I think it is clear how much Toronto misses Boogie Williams. If I could put the talent of a Jose Calderon in a guy with the heart and grit of an Alvin Williams I would have a point guard that I could get behind. Look even in the NCAA at what Ty Lawson did and how he played through injury. Calderon gets a really soft ride from people in part because he is a great guy. I understand that and as a person Jose is first rate. Sam Mitchell had said he would want his daughter to date a guy like Jose someday. You don't get any higher amount of praise as a person. However this is not about who is the most beautiful person in the world. This is not People Magazine. This is basketball and it is about wins and loses. If people are great beyond the lines of that basketball court great. However I do not care as much about that if they are not. Go out and win keep your nose clean and I got no problem with you.
I like guys with an edge. They are not bad people as much as you may want them to be. Terrell Owen is all about him, but he is also about winning with him scoring the touchdown to win the game. Is he a bad dude when you get down to it? How bout Ron Artest. He is another guy that is deep down a guy that can have some fire. If you go into a crowd of people on a visiting court and try to fight a guy that maybe nuts. O.K it is nuts. However Artest is a talented guy that takes pride in defense. You need that before all else. Any great defender wants to have the challenge to stop a guy. Last night you saw that kind of pride between Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy doing battle. Raptors need guys willing to give all they have to stop the best. To embrace that role and that challenge. Anthony Parker was said to be the team's best defender the past few years. Do you ever recall A.P being disgusted with himself for getting burned? He always would have some comment like you do what you can to stop (Insert Star Player Name) and try to contain him. Screw that. I want a guy that is going to accept the challenge and try to shut someone down. Is it realistic he will do it. No but if you go in with the attitude of trying to shut some one down even if you lose a few times along the way it will likely be a better result.
The era of the soft nice guy Raptors needs to end. It is never going to get them anywhere. I remember J.O when he was here talking about the Raptors having in the past been a bunch of nice guys and they would help up the other team. Screw that as well. I want warriors for 48 minutes guys that are going to shake hands at a start of a game but kick your butt all the way through it or die trying. That is the Raptor team I want to see. This group of Raptors is rapidly not showing any of the qualities that I respect and enjoy. I think a lot of people share that desire and you only need to look back in the past to see it. JYD, Alvin Williams,Matt Bonner and today Pops Mensah Bonsu. None of them are going in a hall of fame. They are not going to All Star Games. They are likely not even going to get to star in their own You Tube Video. However they are guys that busted there tail and gave what they had to try to win. I said the other day about Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. If I didn't think WWE had it copyrighted I would say that should be the theme for this next season. That is what we want and need from our Toronto Raptors!!!
The question will be if he wants Chris Bosh a part of that mix to fix it. He should but the question of how much is the largest one for Colangelo. I think if Bosh wants out the answers are far easier. However I have yet to see a clear sign that he does. In fact from what he has said and done he gives very little indication that he wants to go. He wants this team to be better and who doesn't after this season. It will be interesting indeed.
I guess my biggest fear is if Bosh goes I see an Andrea Bargnani reverting back to the Andrea that lacked confidence and was so inconsistent. I am not so sure how mentally tough Bargnani is. Could he handle being the best player on the Raptors? To be the guy that everyone looks at? I don't think he can now and I am not sure if he ever could. That is not a knock on Andrea. After all he was not drafted to be a Batman we already had one. Jose Calderon for all his energy and team play is not exactly a leader as well. You may get all upset about that but it is how I see it. On Spain the leader of that team is Pau Gasol not Jose. Here Bosh is the guy and not Jose. Calderon may be a lot of things but leader is not one of them. Do you think Obama goes around and hands out Gatorade in the breaks in meetings in the Oval Office? I am thinking that does not happen. It is also hard to be a leader when you are one of the worst defenders on a team. Improving he may be but at his best Jose Calderon is an average defender.
You know who was a leader despite not being the main guy. Alvin Williams was that guy. He was the guy that hit the biggest shot in the history of this franchise. Vince Carter he was short on a jumper in Philly. Williams made the dagger shot that clinched the only playoff series win in franchise history. Williams was as tough as you get and that maybe why his career did not go as long as it could have. He played through pain and never used it as an excuse. Did you hear that Jose Calderon supporters? No Excuses just went out and balled with all he had. No one asked if Alvin was healthy or at a 100%. He never was and it never mattered. The fact the ACC crowd gave him cheers was great to see. I think it is clear how much Toronto misses Boogie Williams. If I could put the talent of a Jose Calderon in a guy with the heart and grit of an Alvin Williams I would have a point guard that I could get behind. Look even in the NCAA at what Ty Lawson did and how he played through injury. Calderon gets a really soft ride from people in part because he is a great guy. I understand that and as a person Jose is first rate. Sam Mitchell had said he would want his daughter to date a guy like Jose someday. You don't get any higher amount of praise as a person. However this is not about who is the most beautiful person in the world. This is not People Magazine. This is basketball and it is about wins and loses. If people are great beyond the lines of that basketball court great. However I do not care as much about that if they are not. Go out and win keep your nose clean and I got no problem with you.
I like guys with an edge. They are not bad people as much as you may want them to be. Terrell Owen is all about him, but he is also about winning with him scoring the touchdown to win the game. Is he a bad dude when you get down to it? How bout Ron Artest. He is another guy that is deep down a guy that can have some fire. If you go into a crowd of people on a visiting court and try to fight a guy that maybe nuts. O.K it is nuts. However Artest is a talented guy that takes pride in defense. You need that before all else. Any great defender wants to have the challenge to stop a guy. Last night you saw that kind of pride between Kobe Bryant and Brandon Roy doing battle. Raptors need guys willing to give all they have to stop the best. To embrace that role and that challenge. Anthony Parker was said to be the team's best defender the past few years. Do you ever recall A.P being disgusted with himself for getting burned? He always would have some comment like you do what you can to stop (Insert Star Player Name) and try to contain him. Screw that. I want a guy that is going to accept the challenge and try to shut someone down. Is it realistic he will do it. No but if you go in with the attitude of trying to shut some one down even if you lose a few times along the way it will likely be a better result.
The era of the soft nice guy Raptors needs to end. It is never going to get them anywhere. I remember J.O when he was here talking about the Raptors having in the past been a bunch of nice guys and they would help up the other team. Screw that as well. I want warriors for 48 minutes guys that are going to shake hands at a start of a game but kick your butt all the way through it or die trying. That is the Raptor team I want to see. This group of Raptors is rapidly not showing any of the qualities that I respect and enjoy. I think a lot of people share that desire and you only need to look back in the past to see it. JYD, Alvin Williams,Matt Bonner and today Pops Mensah Bonsu. None of them are going in a hall of fame. They are not going to All Star Games. They are likely not even going to get to star in their own You Tube Video. However they are guys that busted there tail and gave what they had to try to win. I said the other day about Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. If I didn't think WWE had it copyrighted I would say that should be the theme for this next season. That is what we want and need from our Toronto Raptors!!!
4/10/09
The End Of Some Dreams
When I was a kid there would be times at a family gathering or something with adults around where an adult would try their luck playing me at a video game. The outcome was usually bad for the adult. I remember how bad they would be and said to myself that I would never be that adult. That was a goal of mine, never to be that adult. When I was older that was not going to happen to me. However thanks to modern technology you can now play games online. I get my butt beat by someone on the other end that is likely far younger than me.
When I started this blog there was another goal I had to walk the fine line of being a fan and still being a professional. People I know in the media suggested it was impossible. After all the root of the word fan is fanatic. There is also a pain that goes along with being a fan. You grow attached to players and teams. I have dealt with that pain all season in having my favourite player traded to Indiana. It would be something that would be easy to accept if the team got better but they did not. Now we head to another summer and a lot of folks are talking about Chris Bosh and his time being with the Raptors being done. I have loved as a fan watching Chris grow and become one of the better players in the NBA. There is always a debate in my head between objectivity and being a fan. Through out this season I have noticed the fan part of me is slowly going the way of my video game skills. The truth is I always some where stuck in the middle between being a fan and trying to be a journalist of sorts. It is becoming a painful experience to be a fan of this team in a lot of ways.
You also have this issue of fans saying you are a homer if you try to support the team and say something positive. The fan in me and the journalist in me agree this team needs changes. However does it need to get blown up and start over from square one? I honestly don't think that as well. This season on every level for everyone has been a horrible failure. The one exception to that might be Andrea Bargnani. However beyond that it has been a horrible year. The irony of that is for me personally it has been a great year. I have worked hard and got to accomplish a lot of things. So that is a good thing for myself and the Dino Nation Blog. Which hopefully is good for all of you that read it as well. But it is hard to be happy or proud when the main focus of this blog is in the state it is in.
The other thing is no matter how hard you try to fight it, we are all tied to the success of this team. That is the one common bond that Management, Coaches, Players, Media and Fans all share. It is all connected and each of those elements is impacted by this team and how it performs. If they under perform eventually that will mean less readers and viewers for folks in the media. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say I am sick of this team and can't take it anymore. People frustrated with the whole T.V mess and TSN 2. Could you imagine if this team was on a playoff run? The 3 games (Pacers,Wiz, Sixers) down the stretch are on TSN 2. Ironically this game tonight was suppose to be on ESPN between the Raps and Wiz. The point is for everyone it is in the best interest of all for this team to be good. Sadly this season they were not.
I often wonder as well what makes fans tick these days. I mean there just does not seem to be the loyalty there was when I was that same kid kicking adults butts at video games. People just don't seem to care about the individuals like they use to. Fans have bought in and accepted that sports is a business. I understand that as the journalist in me. The concept of sports being a business. However as a fan I truly can't. I love players to much for that. Maybe I am old school in my thinking about some things. I mean there is something to be said for old school values. In wrestling which I often jump to for examples. John Cena wears a T-shirt that says Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. All great qualities and all things that are part of this blog. I think there is no question that I hustle. Scott Carefoot has referred to me as the hardest working Raptor Blogger out there. I do work hard and invest a ton of time into this thing. It has not been until this last little while that I have taken a day off here and there. Sometimes even my day offs are not really days off. I live blog for the Score and in fact am doing 2 games tonight. There are also the many things that go into getting all the guests I am able to get. Loyalty is something I also can say I truly am. I have stuck to my guns on many things and stayed loyal to the people that I feel strongly about. Lastly I do my best to respect everyone from the guests that I have to all of you out there. My father always told me when he was alive to respect those that respect you. I do my best to do that. Even sometimes when people don't respect me I do my best to take the high road. I may not be a fan of John Cena but I am of those values.
Sure we could have talked about the Raptors and Wizards in a game that means very little. However hopefully this was a lot more interesting. I pour a lot of myself into this and some people like that and others do not. I just feel it is the best way to do it. Gilbert Arenas is actually playing basketball again. Why that is another question altogether. I mean practice with the Wizards and get back healthy. However to play in these last few games screams to me as a look at me move. Arenas will say he is doing it for the fans. Do the Wizards have any fans that are still paying attention at this point? In fact do the Raptors? Oh what a classic it should be. Two teams that have been playoff teams now as total outsiders playing out the string. FUN WOW!!!
When I started this blog there was another goal I had to walk the fine line of being a fan and still being a professional. People I know in the media suggested it was impossible. After all the root of the word fan is fanatic. There is also a pain that goes along with being a fan. You grow attached to players and teams. I have dealt with that pain all season in having my favourite player traded to Indiana. It would be something that would be easy to accept if the team got better but they did not. Now we head to another summer and a lot of folks are talking about Chris Bosh and his time being with the Raptors being done. I have loved as a fan watching Chris grow and become one of the better players in the NBA. There is always a debate in my head between objectivity and being a fan. Through out this season I have noticed the fan part of me is slowly going the way of my video game skills. The truth is I always some where stuck in the middle between being a fan and trying to be a journalist of sorts. It is becoming a painful experience to be a fan of this team in a lot of ways.
You also have this issue of fans saying you are a homer if you try to support the team and say something positive. The fan in me and the journalist in me agree this team needs changes. However does it need to get blown up and start over from square one? I honestly don't think that as well. This season on every level for everyone has been a horrible failure. The one exception to that might be Andrea Bargnani. However beyond that it has been a horrible year. The irony of that is for me personally it has been a great year. I have worked hard and got to accomplish a lot of things. So that is a good thing for myself and the Dino Nation Blog. Which hopefully is good for all of you that read it as well. But it is hard to be happy or proud when the main focus of this blog is in the state it is in.
The other thing is no matter how hard you try to fight it, we are all tied to the success of this team. That is the one common bond that Management, Coaches, Players, Media and Fans all share. It is all connected and each of those elements is impacted by this team and how it performs. If they under perform eventually that will mean less readers and viewers for folks in the media. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say I am sick of this team and can't take it anymore. People frustrated with the whole T.V mess and TSN 2. Could you imagine if this team was on a playoff run? The 3 games (Pacers,Wiz, Sixers) down the stretch are on TSN 2. Ironically this game tonight was suppose to be on ESPN between the Raps and Wiz. The point is for everyone it is in the best interest of all for this team to be good. Sadly this season they were not.
I often wonder as well what makes fans tick these days. I mean there just does not seem to be the loyalty there was when I was that same kid kicking adults butts at video games. People just don't seem to care about the individuals like they use to. Fans have bought in and accepted that sports is a business. I understand that as the journalist in me. The concept of sports being a business. However as a fan I truly can't. I love players to much for that. Maybe I am old school in my thinking about some things. I mean there is something to be said for old school values. In wrestling which I often jump to for examples. John Cena wears a T-shirt that says Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. All great qualities and all things that are part of this blog. I think there is no question that I hustle. Scott Carefoot has referred to me as the hardest working Raptor Blogger out there. I do work hard and invest a ton of time into this thing. It has not been until this last little while that I have taken a day off here and there. Sometimes even my day offs are not really days off. I live blog for the Score and in fact am doing 2 games tonight. There are also the many things that go into getting all the guests I am able to get. Loyalty is something I also can say I truly am. I have stuck to my guns on many things and stayed loyal to the people that I feel strongly about. Lastly I do my best to respect everyone from the guests that I have to all of you out there. My father always told me when he was alive to respect those that respect you. I do my best to do that. Even sometimes when people don't respect me I do my best to take the high road. I may not be a fan of John Cena but I am of those values.
Sure we could have talked about the Raptors and Wizards in a game that means very little. However hopefully this was a lot more interesting. I pour a lot of myself into this and some people like that and others do not. I just feel it is the best way to do it. Gilbert Arenas is actually playing basketball again. Why that is another question altogether. I mean practice with the Wizards and get back healthy. However to play in these last few games screams to me as a look at me move. Arenas will say he is doing it for the fans. Do the Wizards have any fans that are still paying attention at this point? In fact do the Raptors? Oh what a classic it should be. Two teams that have been playoff teams now as total outsiders playing out the string. FUN WOW!!!
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